11-12-1942
South Pacific and Strategic Map
Oi. This was kinda painful to watch.
The attached map doesn't really accurately describe battle. When I take these pics, they're end-of-turn. Suffice to say it was another chaotic melee. The USN surface forces continued to press the attack against my Southern Fleet. You will recall that, many of my ships were already damaged from last turn (not reflected in the counters that I had to pull from previous screen-caps). The Allied surface units (mostly Battleships) were able to push into and through my own units (damaged and/or no ZoC). In total, the US Navy sank/finished off the destruction of (2x CVs, 1x BB, 1x CA, 1x DD, 1x SS). Again, it was really a massive surface battle (my damaged CVs were in fact sunk by his Battleships). He did have one Carrier launch strikes from the south, which finished off my damaged Battleship. But it was almost entirely surface forces. That sucked to watch. I wasn't entirely surprised at the strength of his counter-attack, esp given that many of my ships were already damaged. But I didn't expect him to take out as much of my SoPac fleet as he did.
In a feeble departing punch, the IJN was able to sink a USN Battleship off Rabaul, but the trade of the turn was certainly lop-sided. He definitely earned this one though, esp having taken it on the chin for so many turns previously.
Of no consolation, the remains of our SNLF-Div at Rabaul was able to attack his (unsupplied) American Inf-Corps, and wipe it out. Our defenders at Rabaul won't hold much longer though, but there's not much I can do about it. That Airfield where his Tanks are, will provide him with supply, while his Mari-Bmbr at Lorengau continues to decrease supply at Rabaul (I'm not pulling anything from the Port, since he's at the airfield).
Again, not thrilled with this turns results. But I suppose it's better to "trade" ships in 42/43, rather than just having them crushed at 4:1 odds in 1944. At least, that's what I'm going to tell myself.
Strategic Map
Reflects the known and relative assets. SoPac fleet has been considerably diminished.
